Curry has dominated this era, but would get crushed in the 90's

[RRR3]

Muggsy Bogues was 5'3 and didn't get eaten alive

6'0" Allen Iverson did alright, too.

Neither played Curry's style of basketball. Both dudes were tough as nails.

Muggsy Bogues legit couldn’t make the league today. But sure Steph would have it harder in an era in which a 5’3 could be a good player

[dhsilv2]

So players who were shorter, lighter, weaker and inferior shooters are somehow the high-end outcome for Stephen Curry -- but only under a very specific set of circumstances.

Got it.

I guess that's a step up from reducing him to role player status, but not much.

And again -- those weren't the only undersized guards who thrived despite the alleged ruggedness of the 90s. I listed a handful of them several pages back, including the likes of John Stockton (6-1, 170) and Isiah Thomas (6-1, 180), and those are just ones who made All-Star Games.

As a Lakers fan, I g*u*a*r*a*n*t*e*e that if a drive-averse chucker like Nick Van Exel could be an above-average starter, Steph would run laps around him.

Gary Payton wasn't really bigger than Curry. A bit taller but Curry's a bigger stronger guy now than he was at his peak too. Now I do think Payton was tougher but still. Or Tim Hardaway who was a all nba guy...again smaller than Curry. The insanity here is just never ending.

Hardaway was definitely on the list. Burly dude but zero chance he was much taller than 6 foot. Mourning used to tower over him.

Price really is the ultimate counter-example -- very good player, but he was tiny, and weak, and not as good a shooter as Steph. And he was still getting MVP votes in the exact era these guys are rhapsodizing over.

Said it a few pages back, I started watching the NBA in 1987 and I have enjoyed every era since. (If the Lakers hadn't been winning championships, the early 00s would have been dreadful but they were so it was great.)

But the level of pure mythologizing is really wild to see.

What keeps making my head hurt is that Curry's an elite iso player. Like strict man to man is going to make Curry look amazing. Who are these guys who are going to be hand checking him? BJ Armstrong? Another 90's allstar!

[LakerLegend]

Kevin Johnson, Tim hardaway that’s the level of player your looking at.

[The High Cyde]

Man you’re saying one of the greatest players we’ve ever seen who became must watch tv for years would be a role player off the bench against inferior competition. It’s blatant trolling. All your basketball takes are grounds for dismissal lmao

[Jamaaliver]

Steph Curry is one of the most unstoppable offensive forces the NBA has seen in its history. Three things would have realistically prevented Steph from having a similar impact in past eras.

1. Stubborn 90s coaches who likely would have benched him the first time he missed a contested 35 footer.
   
2. Stagnant 90s offenses that were still built around post play and mid range jump shots.
   
3. 90s defenses that allowed small guards to get mauled on ball and especially away from the action.

#3 is just absolutely BS though. The league was NOT brutally at all. Guys weren't mauled.

The NBA literally chose to change the rules in the mid-90s because defenses were too physical.

Rod Thorn, director of NBA operations, was a key figure in devising and implementing the new rules.

“We looked at the games and saw that the physical contact had gone to the outer extremes,” Thorn said. “I’m not talking about the fights, but all the grabbing, holding and shoving was making it almost impossible to move from place to place on the basketball court.”

League officials are aware that scoring in regular season games dropped 17 points between 1986 and [1993-1994]. Defense became the best route to the Finals, if not the championship.

LA Times -- 1994

[Sedale Threatt]

Gary Payton wasn't really bigger than Curry. A bit taller but Curry's a bigger stronger guy now than he was at his peak too. Now I do think Payton was tougher but still. Or Tim Hardaway who was a all nba guy...again smaller than Curry. The insanity here is just never ending.

Hardaway was definitely on the list. Burly dude but zero chance he was much taller than 6 foot. Mourning used to tower over him.

Price really is the ultimate counter-example -- very good player, but he was tiny, and weak, and not as good a shooter as Steph. And he was still getting MVP votes in the exact era these guys are rhapsodizing over.

Said it a few pages back, I started watching the NBA in 1987 and I have enjoyed every era since. (If the Lakers hadn't been winning championships, the early 00s would have been dreadful but they were so it was great.)

But the level of pure mythologizing is really wild to see.

What keeps making my head hurt is that Curry's an elite iso player. Like strict man to man is going to make Curry look amazing. Who are these guys who are going to be hand checking him? BJ Armstrong? Another 90's allstar!

lol, B.J. Armstrong. Another one.

Indeed, if I had to come up with one reason why Curry's so great, that might be it. Like obviously his shooting touch is at the top of his list. But the fact he can take Kobe/Doncic 3s where he doesn't even really need to be open while converting at the rate of a specialist who only takes the most efficient shots ... there's never been anything like him.

This is probably the single greatest clutch shooting display I've ever seen, and he created all of these looks by himself out of nothing. If you can do sht like this, you can dominate anybody in any era.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QDDbimO3jc4

[dhsilv2]

Steph Curry is one of the most unstoppable offensive forces the NBA has seen in its history. Three things would have realistically prevented Steph from having a similar impact in past eras.

1. Stubborn 90s coaches who likely would have benched him the first time he missed a contested 35 footer.
   
2. Stagnant 90s offenses that were still built around post play and mid range jump shots.
   
3. 90s defenses that allowed small guards to get mauled on ball and especially away from the action.

#3 is just absolutely BS though. The league was NOT brutally at all. Guys weren't mauled.

The NBA literally chose to change the rules in the mid-90s because defenses were too physical.

Rod Thorn, director of NBA operations, was a key figure in devising and implementing the new rules.

“We looked at the games and saw that the physical contact had gone to the outer extremes,” Thorn said. “I’m not talking about the fights, but all the grabbing, holding and shoving was making it almost impossible to move from place to place on the basketball court.”

League officials are aware that scoring in regular season games dropped 17 points between 1986 and [1993-1994]. Defense became the best route to the Finals, if not the championship.

LA Times -- 1994

And yet scoring went down...so the rules didn't do jack.

1993 - 105.3
1994 - 101.5
1995 - 101.4
1996 - 99.5
1997 - 96.9
1998 - 95.6
1999 - 91.6

[Jamaaliver]

Kevin Johnson, Tim hardaway that’s the level of player your looking at.

Both are good comps.

I can definitely see Hardaway. (Though his Heat teams under Pat Riley were some of the biggest offenders when it came to physical, manhandling defenses.)


Kevin Johnson. IIRC, was a much strong finisher at the basket. Gave his game a different dynamic than Steph whose best attribute was his shooting.

[RRR3]

The Ruff n tuff 90s were the GOAT era. When you drive into the paint now there might be one guy waiting for you at the rim. In the 90s? 5 Great White Sharks were waiting for you. What’s that, you say sharks can’t survive on land? Well they could in the 90s.

[Jamaaliver]

And yet scoring went down...so the rules didn't do jack.

1993 - 105.3
1994 - 101.5
1995 - 101.4
1996 - 99.5
1997 - 96.9
1998 - 95.6
1999 - 91.6

EXACTLY!!!!!! That's why they changed the rules again!!!

Early 90s defense...aka The Jordan Rules:

[Lenneth]

Kevin Johnson, Tim hardaway that’s the level of player your looking at.

Both are good comps.

I can definitely see Hardaway. (Though his Heat teams under Pat Riley were some of the biggest offenders when it came to physical, manhandling defenses.)


Kevin Johnson. IIRC, was a much strong finisher at the basket. Gave his game a different dynamic than Steph whose best attribute was his shooting.

Curry is one of the best finishers at the rim among PG in NBA history...

[Jamaaliver]

Muggsy Bogues legit couldn’t make the league today. But sure Steph would have it harder in an era in which a 5’3 could be a good player

And I think this is the crux of where our arguments differ.

I'm not saying the 90s were better. I'm saying they were so different stylistically, it was genuinely a different game.

Not only wouldn't Muggsy Bogues survive in this era...I'm not even sure Shaq could.

The game styles are too different and the coaches, GMs, refs, teammates wouldn't even know what to do to maximize those guys.

Those concerns cut both ways.

[Jamaaliver]

Curry is one of the best finishers at the rim among PG in NBA history...

[RRR3]

Muggsy Bogues legit couldn’t make the league today. But sure Steph would have it harder in an era in which a 5’3 could be a good player

And I think this is the crux of where our arguments differ.

I'm not saying the 90s were better. I'm saying they were so different stylistically, it was genuinely a different game.

Not only wouldn't Muggsy Bogues survive in this era...I'm not even sure Shaq could.

The game styles are too different and the coaches, GMs, refs, teammates wouldn't even know what to do to maximize those guys.

Those concerns cut both ways.

You absolutely have to be trolling. Mason Plumlee has started in this era

[Iwasawitness]

Curry is one of the best finishers at the rim among PG in NBA history...

I hope you’re not actually trying to say that’s a ridiculous thing to say because… it’s definitely not.

[dhsilv2]

And yet scoring went down...so the rules didn't do jack.

1993 - 105.3
1994 - 101.5
1995 - 101.4
1996 - 99.5
1997 - 96.9
1998 - 95.6
1999 - 91.6

EXACTLY!!!!!! That's why they changed the rules again!!!

Early 90s defense...aka The Jordan Rules:

WTF?

So you admit you're just trolling now?

[Iwasawitness]

Look at Dell Curry. Nice player, great shooter, led the NBA in 3 point shooting a few times, but not a star.

Now subtract 2 inches of height from Dell, give him a bit more handles and freedom with the ball. Then you have Steph.

Stephs maybe a 1 time all star in the old NBA. Take away his space and time with the ball, take away Draymlnds illegal screens and he's a vastly different and less effective player.

Buddy, just stop already. We’ve had enough lol worthy posts, this thread doesn’t need your help.

[Lenneth]

Curry is one of the best finishers at the rim among PG in NBA history...

Career 0-3ft

Curry: 65.2%
Irving: 62.5%
Westbrook: 60.3%
Harden: 63.8%
Iverson: 57.3%
CP3: 62.0%
Nash: 63.9%
Kidd: 55.6%
Payton: 64.7%

Seriously, you didn't know?

[og15]

His dad's slower, doesn't have half the ball handling, he was weaker peak vs peak, he didn't finish as well at the rim....no they're not the same. His bother is a shorter version of his dad.

Oh and no they aren't close in terms of shooting. Just look at his free throw shooting. 84.3% vs 91.1%

Extremely tough to actually watch Dell and think, "just fast forward to the 2010's, this is Curry". It would take some real poor basketball analysis, scouting ability and ability to understand skills and what's happening on the floor to do that.

At least is someone said Abdul Rauf, you're at least talk about some similar skillsets, though of course Steph is bigger, superior off ball, superior paint finisher, so I mean, those are big deals.

It's almost as odd as if someone said, see Bronny? That's what LeBron would be if he was born in the 2020's

It's basically just saying, since they are related, it's the same player, which makes no sense. So Kobe's dad if he was born in the 70'a would be Kobe? Of course not, we don't think that of any father/son, lol

Uh Bronny is about 7 inches shorter than LeBronny. Imagine if LeBronny was 6'1, i doubt he'd be in the league with his stiff awkward moves.


Dell was taller than Steph and lead the league in 3pt shooting % multiple times which Steph has never done. Unless if you think being taller is a disadvantage in basketball they are no way comparable to Bronny/LeBronny.

I think you're not realizing that this is my point. Dell and Curry have different physical tools and skillsets, that's part of why Steph is far better, and also why Seth is not the same level.

Suggesting they should be the same level because they are father and son is as illogical as comparing Lebron and Bronny, because their physical tools are very different, even though it's less apparent for people with Dell and Steph what makes them very different, though it should be.

[og15]

No need for what ifs. You just gotta look at Steph's own dad Dell's career to see what he would have been in the 90s

Dell was taller than Steph and just as good a shooter. Ended up a decent role player in the 90s, that was Steph's path if he played in more of a physical league. He'd have been a better Dana Barros at best

what? can dell dribble through the defenders and make those step back threes? can he pull from 40 feet? can he finish in the paint? if you can compare Dell and Steph then I can also say Beal is just as good as scorer as MJ if MJ plays in this era he is the new Beal.

Dell wasn't allowed to travel, carry, and force bigs to switch onto him via illegal moving screens so...no

Dell didn't have handles as good as his own peers, has nothing to do with era. There were lots of situations where switches could be force in the 90's, teams go to switching depending on the defender because of how quickly Curry could get his shot off.

Dell couldn't shoot FT's as well, couldn't shoot off the dribble as well, of the move as well, couldn't get to the basket off the dribble and finish as well.

Despite that, Dell's scoring rate maxed at 25.3 pts/35 in 48 games in 88-89 and Dell had around 21 pts/36 from 24-30 years old.

Hmmm...